Can We Keep Him?
by sasorilover7
Summary: -sequel to Stray Puppy- Ino's parents come home and want her to come to China with them. Wait, what about Shikamaru? bad summary, good sequel!


Stray Puppy's Sequel:

Can We Keep Him?

It's been two years since I took Shikamaru home with me. Now it's already his birthday again and I'm going home to give him his birthday present. _He's going to love it!_

When I unlock the door, a delicious scent falls over me and my mouth waters. "Mmm, Shika, are you cooking again?" I smile. He pops his head out from the kitchen and smirks at me.

"Well I can't have you doing it. You'd kill us all. I don't know how you survived before I got here." He teases.

"Take out, obviously." I smirk back. "Here, I'll help. What should I do?"

"Set the table, please." Since its late September already, we set up the Kotatsu. It's a traditional Japanese table for the winter time. It's nice and warm underneath because of the heavy blanket.

"Okay, what are we eating?" I ask. It smells delicious, whatever it is.

"Yosenabe with hard shell clams, salmon fillets, hakusai, leek, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms." He says, taking out the bowls.

"Mmm, that sounds so good. Okay, I got the table set, let's eat!" I cheer.

"Yeah, yeah, hold your horses." He laughs. He gets it all settled and we start. "Oooh, Shika, this is sooo good!"

"Yeah, glad you like it." He smirks. _**Ding Dong**_.

"Umm, that was the doorbell…." I say, probably sounding really stupid.

"Yeah. Should I get it?" He asks.

"Nah, I'll go see who it is." I say and get up to go to the door. "Umm, hello?" I call, opening the door. I get tackled.

"Ino-chan! We've missed you so much!" A man with the same blond hair as me and brown eyes glomps me.

"Dad? Mom?" I ask, not believing my eyes.

"Oh, honey. You don't need to be like that to your daughter. You're embarrassing her." My mother says.

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen my Ino-chan in so long! And how am I embarrassing her? There's no one here."

"Dear," My mom says, pointing to Shikamaru and his quirked eyebrow.

"Um, Shikamaru, this is my mother and Father. Mom, dad, this is Shikamaru. He's been living with me for two years."

"What?" My dad screams. "You didn't hurt my Ino-chan did you? Who is he? How did he get in here? Did he threaten you?"

"Oh dear, you are overreacting. He wouldn't do that to our daughter." She smiles at Shikamaru. "_Right?_" She asks, suddenly threatening him with her aura.

"N-no ma'am!" He says, shaking his hands. "Nothing of the sort!"

"Mom! Dad!" I whine. "C'mon, he's okay. It's not like he raped me or something! In fact, we're very good friends. So stop harassing him!"

"Oh, dear." My mother says, all innocent now with her hand rubbing her cheek. "I'm sorry. We're just very overprotective parents." She hugs me. "She is our only child, after all."

"Mom!" I whine.

"That's right! You are our precious baby! Don't talk to strangers, or accept candy from-"

"Dad! I can take care of myself!" I say. "Besides, it was you who ditched me here to go to America!" I pout.

"That's why we came back!" My dad shouts and my mother nods. "We got a new assignment. To China this time and we want you to come with!"

"You do?" I say, my eyes lighting up. "Wow, _China_!" That's so cool!"

I was so happy about my parents being home and the thought of going to China that I didn't see Shikamaru's disappointed look.

"Oh, were you in the middle of dinner?" My mom asks.

"Yeah, if you want to join us.."

"Of course! I'm starved. And now I can learn this Shikamaru's true intentions…" Dad smirks evilly.

"True intentions?" He asks. "There's none of that, Mr. Yamanaka." And that's how dinner goes. Dad trying to find out Shikamaru's 'true intentions' and me and mom catching up on lost time. I didn't notice Shikamaru's desperate glances, nor did I notice the frown that meant he was either sad or thinking about something difficult.

I didn't notice anything this whole time, not until it was too late. And I thought I was in love with him. I was even going to confess, but I'm not fit to be his girlfriend. Not if I can't even notice those little things about him. The little things that I fell in love with.

"Night my lovely daughter." Dad embarrasses me once again tonight.

"Good night, sweetie." Mom smiles.

"Night." I call back. I change into my pj's and wait about thirty minutes. By now, both mom and dad will be asleep. I sneak out into the living room where Shikamaru is sleeping on the couch. "I'm sorry." I say to him. "I didn't know they would be coming home right now-" An then I notice that it's just his blanket I'm talking to, not him.

I look over to where he normally keeps his coat and see that it isn't there. Next I look for his shoes. Not there. He's not here.

I run into my room and grab a small package. I get my coat and my shoes on in record time and I run out the door, closing it softly. "Shikamaru!" I yell. He couldn't have gotten too far. "Shikamaru!"

I run all the way to the park. That's a really far ways away from my home but I remember Shikamaru talking about it once so that was the first thing that popped into my head. I see him. He's in the tube slide, hugging his knees.

"Shikamaru!" I yell and run over to him. "Why aren't you at home?" That's the only question out of millions in my head that I spoke.

"Because, you're leaving. I can't stay there if you aren't there." He says, not looking at me.

"What are you talking about?" I demand.

"You're going to China." He mumbles.

"Huh? I can't hear you. You have to speak up. And look at someone when they're talking to you!" I scold. He does, and I see tears streaming down his cheeks.

"You're going to China!" He accuses me. "You're leaving, and I don't like it! I don't want you to, but that's selfish and I'm acting like a spoiled kid! So I ran."

I hug him. "Idiot!" I say and hit him on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" He whines, rubbing his head.

"I'm not leaving. You're just over thinking things like you always do. Besides, I-I wouldn'tleavesomeoneIlike!" I yell really fast. He looks at me, confused.

"What?" He asks.

"I said, I wouldn't leavesomeoneIlike!" I yell again. Then I sigh. "I wouldn't leave you, Shika. I like you." I mumble.

"You, you do?" He asks, looking up at me with a weird expression.

"Y-yeah.. Jeez!" I hit him again. "Don't make a girl repeat herself so many times! It's hard enough saying it once!"

"Sorry." He says.

"Well? Are you going to give me an answer?" I ask, a little nervous. He grins.

"Yeah." Is what he says.

"Wait, is that the answer or are you saying 'yeah' you'll answer my question?" I ask.

"Both." He leans forward and kisses me. I blush red as a tomato, but even though I'm embarrassed, (I've never done that before with someone I like!) I don't miss the traces of red on his cheeks.

Suddenly remembering what day it is today, I dig in my pocket. "Happy Birthday!" I say and hand it to him. He smiles and takes my hand.

"Thank you, Ino. Let's go home."

"Yeah." I smile.

"Sorry, dad. I can't go to China. I'm going to stay here with Shikamaru." I smile, holding Shikamaru's hand for support.

"My-my baby's all grown up!" He cries and before he hugs me, mom drags him near the front door.

"Come on dear. Ino has made her decision. We must respect that." She says, innocently. Then, to Shikamaru. "_If you do anything to my baby, I will hunt you down._" She threatens. "Now you two have fun, and behave!" And then they're off to China.

It looks like I can keep my little lost puppy.

eNd

The scene where Ino found Shikamaru at the Park:

"Both." We hear the boy say and then he kisses her.

"You little-! That's my Ino-chan-!" My husband yells, but I clamp my hand over his mouth so they don't hear him. "Why'd you do that? I wanted to-"

"I know dear, but it's their moment right now. Besides, I have a good feeling about Shikamaru-kun." I smile to him. "It reminds me of how we first meet, don't you think?" I hug his arm. He sighs, saying that I've won.

"Yes, it does." He says seriously, looking up at the stars. I smile.

_I'll help you out this time, Shikamaru-kun, but if you do something to my Ino, there will be hell to pay._ I smirk at him with an evil aura radiating off me.

Haha, that was just a little excerpt that I wanted to add in there….

Anyways, hoped you enjoyed it!


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